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Oh, great! Another pimple—said no one ever. Acne isn’t just limited to your face and can actually pop up on other parts of your body, including your back. If you’re dealing with acne on your back, a.k.a. bacne, you may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed showing your skin. Fortunately, there are things you can do to clear up your bacne and keep it from coming back.

1

Use a scrubbing brush with a long arm when you bathe.

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2

Apply a benzoyl peroxide cleanser to your back.

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  1. A benzoyl peroxide emollient foam wash is a specially designed body wash that will unclog the pores on your back and clear out any bacteria that could potentially cause acne. Add some to your scrubbing brush when you bathe and scrub your back well with it to help control bacne and reduce flare-ups.[2]
    • You can find a benzoyl peroxide emollient foam wash at your local pharmacy or department store.
    • A few popular emollient foam wash brands include Panoxyl, GOJO, and Cetaphil.
4

Leave the cleanser on your skin for a few minutes.

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  • Question
    My acne isn't that bad. How long do you think it can take to go away?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer
    You may start to see improvement after about 2 - 4 weeks of using the lifestyle changes and the over-the-counter remedies mentioned above. If you are not noticing a change, you can contact your healthcare provider.
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Tips

  • Avoid wearing the same shirt for too long if you’re dealing with bacne. Your sweat and oils can accumulate and clog up your pores, making your bacne worse.
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About This Article

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Medically reviewed by:
Registered Nurse
This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. This article has been viewed 4,447,496 times.
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Co-authors: 121
Updated: February 14, 2024
Views: 4,447,496
Article SummaryX

To get rid of bacne, start gently exfoliating your back with a sponge or loofah whenever you shower to remove dead skin that clogs pores. Also, swap your body wash and lotion out with over-the-counter medicated alternatives, like a salicylic acid wash. It may also help if you spot treat your bacne with a benzoyl peroxide cream before bed. If your bacne persists, try switching up laundry detergents, and get a new filtered shower head — these things may reduce irritation on your back. For more tips, like using a retinol cream to get rid of bacne, keep reading!

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Reader Success Stories

  • Munni Chaprana

    Munni Chaprana

    Apr 18, 2017

    "I totally loved the article, as it helped me to get rid of my bacne at a much faster rate. The video elaborated the..." more
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